Bull-wheel for oil or artesian wells.



No. 678,774. Patented July l6, mm.

,m. & A. mason. BULL WHEEL FDRDJL 0B ARTESIAN WELLS.

H. W. EATON (Application filed Mar. 4, 189B.)

2 Sheets--$heet I.

(No Model.)

'01: uoms PETERS co PHOTO-LING" WASHINGTON, n c.

No. 678,774. Patented July l6, 90L

H. W. EATON, 1R. &, A. BENSON. BULL WHEEL FOR OIL 0R ARTESIAN WELLS.

(Application filed Mar. 4, 1898.) (No Model) 2 Sheets--Sheet 2. r

WITNESSES;

'Nrrn Ain IIIRAM EATON, JR,

tries.

Area

AND ANDREW BnNsoN, or BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 678,774, dated July 16, 1 901.

Application filed March 4, 1898.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HIRAM W. EATON, J r. and ANDREW BENsoN, citizens of the United States, residing at Bradford, in the county of McKean and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in BullJVheels for Oil or Artesian Wells, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention has reference to the art of oil and Artesian well drilling, and relates more particularly to the bull-wheels employed for raising and lowering the tools. Wheels of this description are ordinarily journaled to rotate freely upon the sills of a Well-boring derrick or in close proximity thereto, are equipped with the usual bull rope or ropes and drilling-cable, and are periodically driven by the bull-rope for the purpose of coiling or reeling the drilling-cable. To this extent the present application for Letters Patent is related to others of a series filed simultaneously herewith on the 4th day of March, 1898, and numbered, respectively, 672,502, 672,503, and 672,504.

The invention which therefore resides in the particular construction of parts illustrated by the drawings will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and whereon cor responding numerals indicate the same parts wherever they appear, Figure 1 is a side elevation of our invention detached, showing the main shaft or drum, the driving-wheel, and a brake-wheel. Fig. 2 is an end view of the driving-wheel detached from the coiling drum or shaft and showing a fixed dog for use in applying the bull rope or ropes. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the coiling-drum and a central vertical section through the driving and brake wheels in their relative position. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a complete bull-wheel modified, mainly, in the employment of a single bull-rope groove rather than two and the use of exterior gudgeon-caps in threaded connection with the main shaft. Fig. 5 is an end view of wheels such as illustrated by Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and'7 are detail fragmentary views of segmental cants of which both wheels are constructed. Fig. 8

Serial No. 672,605. (No model.)

is a fragmentary sectional view of a wheelhub, a side elevation of one spoke, and a section of a felly in screw connection. Fig. 9 is a section of one wheel-spoke and section of the felly together with its screw connection, the latter being in section. Fig. 10 is an end View of parts illustrated by Fig. 9, the spoke, however, being omitted and the felly being shown in section.

Reference being had to the drawings and numerals thereon, 1 indicates the main shaft or coiling-drum, upon which is wound the drill-rope.

2 indicates end gudgeons or journal-bearings, which are in screw-threaded connection with the interior of shaft 1 and are further secured thereto by means of through-bolts 3, as shown. Upon one end of coiling-drum 1 is mounted a driving-wheel 4, keyed or otherwise securely connected therewith and consisting of a hub 5, having a series of radial screw threaded sockets '7, into which are screwed spokes 8, threaded at both ends and by preference of tubular form, as best shown by Fig. 9.

Extending into the outer end of each spoke Sis a pintle or plug 30, having a bifurcated shank 31, within which is located a section of the wheel-felly 12, the latter secured in place by bolts or rivets 32. The plug 30 is retained in position within the end of spoke 8 by bolts 33, passing transversely through both, while upon the outer screw-threaded end of each spoke is mounted a threaded flanged collar 11, serving to reinforce the coupling at this point by an outward screw action, which jams it against the inner side of the felly 12 and the side cants, which it supports.

The working surface of the drive-wheel 4 is composed of cants 14, preferably of wood, which are of segmental form and laminated arrangement, combining to produce an annulus wherein the cants 14 of one course overlap the joints of adjoining courses throughout. These cants are of compact arrangement, except for acontinuous internal groove 27, designed and adapted to receive and house the sectional felly 12, as shown by Figs. 3 and 4, said sections and cants being thereupon firmly secured together by bolts 26, passing through bolt-holes 17 of said fellies.

The periphery of drive-wheel 4 is configured by V-shaped depressions 18 and 1.9 for the reception of a cable, by means of which rotary motion is communicated from a stationary engine (not shown) to said wheel, while as a means of readily shifting said bull rope or ropes into grooves 18 and 19 for operation a dog 13 is provided, the same being securely bolted thereto, as at 84, and further secured at its inner end by means of a clip 29, encircling one of the spokes 8.

Projecting from the rim of drive-whee14, preferably on the inside, is a series of pins 20 for use in manually rotating said wheel when the bull-rope has been thrown off or requires replacing, as will later appear.

At the opposite end of drum 1 and secured thereto by means of keys 22, in like manner as wheel 4, is a brake-wheel 21, corresponding, so closely in construction and arrangemeet with wheel 4 as to render unnecessary a detailed description thereof. It will be noted, however, thatthe periphery of wheel 21 is unbroken by the bull-rope grooves of wheel 4, and the rope-replacing dog 13 of the latter is dispensed with.

The modified construction illustrated by Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 contemplates slight structural differences, consisting, chiefly, in the substitution of a single bull-rope groove 24 in place of double grooves, in the employment of gudgeon-caps having external connections with drum 1 at its ends, and in a single series of uniting-bolts 26 in the rim of the wheel as a substitute for the double-staggered series illustrated by Fig. 2.

As another slight modification, Fig. 8 illustrates a felly-section 10, having bolt-holes 16, corresponding with those marked 17 in Fig. 9, and a screw-threaded socket 9 to receive spoke 8 in place of the preferred construction illustrated by Figs. 9 and 10.

This being a description of our invention, its use is not unlikethat of ordinary bullwheels. Located adjacent to a stationary engine or other source of power, motion is imparted to drive-wheel 4 when required by means of a cable thrown into grooves 18 19 by action of dog 13, when said wheel 4 is retated by the aid of pins 20 in the usual manner. The drill-rope will then be rapidly coiled upon drum 1, thus elevating the drill or other tool quickly from a well. It now being desired to return same tool or another into the well, the cable aforesaid is thrown off, whereupon drum 1 naturally 'nnreels the drill-rope, upon which depends the tool, said reel-rope and tool being held in check by a suitable band or other form of brake applied to the surface of brake-wheel 21.

Such being the leading features of our invention, we claim and desire to secure by Let'- ters Patent- '1. In a bull-wheel for well-rigs, the combination with a suitable shaft, of a non-metallic wheel-rim composed of cants or sections arranged in circles, the central circle of cants being of less width to form a groove for the reception of a metallic rim or felly, a metallic rim or felly embedded in and secured to said non-metallic rim, and means for connecting said metallic rim or felly to the shaft; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a bull=wheel for well-rigs, the combination with a suitable shaft, of a non-metallic wheel-rim provided with a groove in its periphery and comprised of cants or sections arranged in circles the inner circle of cants being of less width than the outer circles to form a groove for the reception of a metallic felly or rim, a metallic felly or rim embedded in said non-metallic rim and connected therewith, and means for securing the metallic rim or felly to the shaft, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a bull-wheel for well-rigs, the combi nation with a suitable shaft, of a non-metal lic wheel-rim comprised of a series of cants or segments arranged in circles said rim hav-- ing on its interior a groove or channel for the reception of a metallic felly or rim to which said non-metallic rim is attached, tubular spokes, plugs or pintles for connecting the spokes with the metallic rim, and threaded collars for supporting the cants or segments of the rim from the spokes, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a bull-wheel for well-rigs, the'co'm'bination with a suitable shaft, of a bull-wheel having a non-metallic peripherally-grooved rim comprised of cants arranged in circles 1 the central circle being of less width to afford a groove for the reception of a metallic rim, a metallic rim embedded in the non-metallic rim and secured thereto, a series of spokes for connecting the metallic rim to the shaft, and a dog for shifting the bull-rope, said dog being secured to the metallic and non-metallic rims, and to one of the spokes of the metallic rim; substantially as and for the purposes specified.

HIRAM W. EATON, JR. ANDREW BENSON. WVitnesses:

BEN R. I-IAGAR, FRANK A. JOHNSON. 

